Inquiry urged into Edward Heath probe

THE GODSON of Sir Edward Heath has called for an official inquiry into police handling of child sex abuse allegations against the former prime minister.

Lincoln Seligman said he believes there were serious flaws in Operation Conifer, which has investigated claims against the former Conservative leader for the past two years.

He spoke as reports at the weekend claimed Wiltshire Police, which conducted the £1.5m investigation, believed it would have had enough grounds to interview the late politician under caution if he was still alive.

Mr Seligman, an artist who knew Sir Edward for more than 50 years from childhood, said Wiltshire Chief Constable Mike Veale was “acting as judge and jury and has already convicted the man”.

Mr Seligman said: “My suspicion is that we will learn nothing from the report except innuendo and that really takes nobody any further forward, except it leaves a dark stain over a man who can’t defend himself.”

Mr Seligman said he wanted a judge to lead a review into how the police had conducted Operation Conifer and all the evidence it has produced.

Sir Edward, who led the Conservative government from 1970 to 1974, stepped down as an MP at the 2001 election and died at home in Salisbury in 2005, aged 89.

Operation Conifer was launched in 2015 after he was named as a suspect in an investigation into historical child sex abuse.

Wiltshire Police will make public on October 5 the “summary closure report” of its inquiry into Sir Edward.